He denounced a decision “of extreme gravity in regard to the rule of law and for people’s trust in the justice system”. France’s justice minister made a point of visiting him in prison. The magistrates’ union has warned of an “assault on the entire justice system” and drawn comparisons with countries such as Hungary. Civil liberties groups have other concerns about France’s justice system, including its true independence (prosecutors are appointed by the justice ministry), chronic underfunding, and the decades it can take to deliver justice. Tusk’s former justice minister, Adam Bodnar, has spoken about the challenge of convincing people to focus on rule of law issues.

Source: The Guardian March 30, 2026 09:21 UTC